COVID-19 news from across the nation

Days after international medical journal Lancet had published the results of Phase-1 and Phase-2 clinical trials data of the Russian COVID-19 vaccine called Sputnik-V, the authorities in Moscow have now submitted "comprehensive data" on vaccine's safety and efficacy to the Indian counterparts. The production of the vaccine is expected to start in September 2020.

Hyderabad: Even as Lancet published the results of Phase-1 and Phase-2 clinical trial data of the Sputnik V vaccine — cleared by Moscow regulators for public use — the Russian research institute has now submitted "comprehensive data" on the vaccine’s safety and efficacy to Indian authorities.

Senior officials said that India had sought this from the Moscow-based Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology. The vaccine candidate triggered a "strong" immune response in Phases 1 & 2 of the clinical trials on 76 people.

COVID 19 cases in India

As this "comprehensive data" is evaluated by experts in India, one option, sources said, is to have a separate Phase 3 clinical trial after necessary approvals from regulators. The production of the vaccine is expected to start in September 2020.

Chhattisgarh

Raipur: Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel held a discussion in detail with his cabinet ministers, District Collectors, Superintendent of Police (SPs) and Medical Officials via video conferencing about the status of corona infection in Chhattisgarh.

Baghel in his address to the ministers and officials said that increasing number of COVID positive cases has created an environment of fear among common people, especially the patients.

He directed the officials concerned to monitor the health conditions of patients and to ensure regular visits of doctors in their wards. He said that the patients should be provided necessary medical advice via telemedicine or video or WhatsApp calling as well.

The Chief Minister also said that the decision to prescribe treatment in home isolation to the patients with few or no symptoms will reduce the pressure on hospitals.

Jharkhand

Ranchi: Jharkhand's COVID-19 tally crossed 50,000-mark with the detection of 1,246 new cases, while seven fresh fatalities pushed the state's coronavirus death toll to 469, a health bulletin said. The fresh infections have taken the state's caseload to 51,063, whereas the recovery rate in the state stands at 71.86 per cent, it said.

Uttarakhand

Dehradun:Uttarakhand Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Bansidhar Bhagat will be discharged from the Doon Medical College Hospital on Monday and will be under home quarantine for the next 10 days.

It is to be noted that Bhagat was tested positive for the novel coronavirus on August 29.

Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Odisha reported a record single-day spike of 3,861 coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the state's tally to 1,27,832 cases, the Health Department said on Monday.

Ten more Covid-19 deaths in the last 24 hours took Odisha's death toll to 556, the department said.

The state now has 30,919 active cases and 96,364 recoveries. Of the new cases, 2,278 were detected in quarantine and 1,583 were local contact cases.

Rajasthan

Udaipur:Amid growing concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus, a unique initiative is being taken by district's Mohanlal Sukhadia University to protect against the deadly virus.

Under this, the University's administration has planned to deploy a robot outside the administrative building, which will conduct thermal screening of the people. Sukhadia University Vice-Chancellor, Professor America Singh has started an action plan for this and University will be buying a robot from Delhi.